Bedding cover

ABSTRACT

A bedding cover includes a substantially rectangular sheet formed of a non rigid material. A strip of material is disposed across a center of the sheet; the strip of material being more rigid than the sheet. A first fastener is disposed at a first corner of the sheet. A second fastener for engaging the first fastener is disposed at a second corner of the sheet. The first fastener and second fastener being disposed on opposed sides of the strip of material.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/172,976, filed Apr. 9, 2021, the entireties of which are incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein relates generally to bedding, and more specifically to bedding for preventing cross contamination of successive bed users from germs left behind from use of the bed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, beds available for lodging such as in hotels, motels, Air BnB like dwellings, and even cruise ships, are used serially by a number of guests. Often there are just hours before one guest leaves and the next one arrives. Usually in response to local health regulations the sheets are changed between guests, but the covers are not.

However, some of the principal routes for spread of infections include contact with infected persons or contact with articles of bedding or clothing that have been contaminated by an infected source. See MedicineNet, Hotel Hygiene: Is Your Hotel Making You Sick?; Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD; https://www.medicinenet.com/hotelIhygiene_is_your_hotel making_you_sick/views.htm As a result germs from a previous bed user can linger behind even after normal room cleaning. Studies, such as blue light illumination of “clean” covers, show that this happens more often than not. Such lingering germs spread disease to the next unwary traveler using the “clean” bedding.

Accordingly a bedding which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A bedding cover includes a substantially (rectangular) squared sheet formed of a non rigid, malleable, material. A strip of material is disposed across a center of the sheet; the strip of material being more rigid than the sheet. A first fastener is disposed at a first corner of the sheet. A second fastener for engaging the first fastener is disposed at a second corner of the sheet. The first fastener and second fastener being disposed on opposed sides of the strip of material.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the strip of material disposed across the center of the sheet includes a soft filler material contained therein; providing comfort and some rigidity to the strip of material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is better understood by reading the written description with reference to the accompanying drawings and figures in which like reference numerals denote similar structure and refer to the elements throughout, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top, side perspective view of a bed with bedding as known in the art;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a bed cover constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top, side perspective view of the bed cover constructed in accordance with the invention, with the bed cover in an unfolded position;

FIG. 4 is perspective view of the bed cover constructed in accordance with the invention, with the bed cover in place relative to the bedding for use;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fastening mechanism for securing the bed cover to itself during use;

FIG. 6 is perspective view of the bed cover constructed in accordance with the invention, with the bed cover, shown as transparent for illustration purposes, in place relative to the bedding for use;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bed cover rolled up for storage or transport; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for installing the bed cover in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The subject matter of aspects of embodiments of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of any patent issuing from this description. Rather, the inventor has contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different elements or combinations of elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.

Reference is made to FIG. 1 in which a prior art bed is provided. As known in the art a prior art bed 10 is made using a bottom sheet 14, a cover 12, disposed over the bottom sheet 14, and a pillow having a pillow case 16. In lodging establishments, bottom sheet 14 and pillow case 16 are frequently changed, and even during the Covid pandemic are at least changed between successive visitors to comply with health codes. However, because of time and cost constraints the cover 12 is not regularly cleaned between visitors.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 wherein a bedding cover 100 constructed in accordance with the invention is provided. Cover 100 includes a substantially non rigid, malleable, sheet of material 110, such that sheet 110 has insufficient structure to maintain its own form and adopts the form of the object about which it is placed.

A padded edge 112 is disposed along a widthwise edge of sheet 110. Padded edge 112 is filled and preferably weighted. Padded edge 112, because of its padded structure, is more rigid than sheet 100 and can maintain its own shape until folded upon itself. This structure prevents a top edge of sheet 100 from bunching upon itself during use.

A seam of reinforcing stitching 114 is disposed along the remaining edges of sheet 110; along a first edge length 124 of sheet 110 extending from padded edge 112 to an opposed width edge 126 and continuing along a second edge length 128 from width edge 126 to padded edge 112. Reinforcing stitching 114 (comprised of lengths 124, 126, 128) forms a U substantially about the perimeter of sheet 110, which is closed by padded edge 112.

A padded strip 120 is disposed across sheet 110 at substantially the center (along the length) of sheet 110 so that a centerline 122 of sheet 110 is located within padded strip 120. Centerline 122 divides sheet 110 along a length of sheet 110 into a first section 110 a and a second section 110 b, the area of section 110 a being substantially the same as section 110 b. Padded strip 120 is more rigid, less malleable, than sheet 110 so that, as will be described below, padded strip 120 is used as a structure to enable sheet 100 to be folded upon itself for use.

In a preferred non-limiting embodiment, sheet 110 has a width sufficient to be at least coextensive with the width of a bed mattress; and more particularly to be greater than the width of a standard bed mattress; king, queen, twin, etc. In a preferred non limiting embodiment sheet 110 has a width at least substantially coextensive with a cover for the bed type. For reasons described below a length of sheet 100 is designed for use with the intended cover, but is usually between about eighty to one hundred and ten inches.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3, 4 and 8 which show the use of bed cover 100 in accordance with the invention. In a first step (802) cover 12 and any cover linens (not shown for ease of description) are drawn down toward the foot of bed 10. Then in a step 804 bed cover 100 is placed on bed 10 in an open position, substantially the orientation shown in FIG. 2, with padded edge 112 at the head of the bed 10 and width edge 126 of sheet 100 towards the foot of bed 10. Center line 122 is positioned substantially where the top of cover 12 is to be positioned during sleep in a step 806.

In a next step 808 the bed linens, cover 12 in this example, are then folded back to their original position so that cover 12 now lies on a portion of sheet 100. An upper edge of cover 12, either folded or unfolded according to taste, rests adjacent centerline 122. Sheet 110 is then folded about padded strip 120 at centerline 122 to surround cover 12 between sheet section 110 a and sheet section 110 b in a step 810. See FIG. 6. This prevents contact between cover 12 and the user of bed 10 while lying above or below covers 12 and while sleeping.

To secure bed cover 100 about cover 12, bedcover 100 is provided with fasteners 116 and 118 (not shown). Fasteners 116, 118 secure cover 100 upon itself to maintain the position of cover 100 about cover (and other bedding) 12 in a step 812. In a preferred non limiting embodiment fastener 116 is a zipper having one half of the zipper track 116 a disposed upon section 110 a of cover 100. A second zipper track 116 b, for mating with zipper track 116 a is disposed along the same length of cover 100, but on an opposed side of centerline 122 (upon section 110 b). In this way when bed cover 100 is folded about itself substantially about centerline 122, zipper track 116 a is in a position to engage with zipper track 116 b, securing cover 100 upon itself with cover 12 therebetween. Similarly fastener 118 is formed by mating zipper portion 118 a and 118 b formed along the opposed edge of sheet 100 from zipper 116, and on opposed sides of centerline 122 to engage each other when cover 100 is folded.

Sheet 100 is formed of a non rigid material. In a preferred non limiting embodiment the material is cotton. However it is well within the scope of the invention to form sheet 100 from flannel, fleece, straw, bamboo thread, hemp, nylon or any other natural or artificial material from which bedding is normally made. However, given the use for which the invention will be made, a light plastic may be used as well. Furthermore, fasteners 116, 118 are described in terms of zippers, but may be formed of any simple fastener such as buttons, Velcro® hook and loop fasteners, snaps or the like.

As seen in FIG. 7, as a result of the non rigid character of sheet 110, during transit, bed cover 100 can be folded and rolled upon itself to easily fit into a suitcase, or its own travel bag to enable easy carrying and prevent cross contamination after use.

As a result of a bed cover constructed in accordance with the invention, a bed cover which prevents cross contamination of disease between successive bed users is provided. By providing structure to fasten the cover to itself the bed cover remains in a position enveloping the contaminated surfaces, preventing cross contamination no matter how much the bed cover is moved during a restless sleep. By forming the sheet of the bed cover of non-rigid material, the bed cover lends itself to folding for easy carrying after use.

The foregoing description is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and process shown as described above. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bedding cover comprises: a substantially rectangular sheet formed of a non rigid material; a strip of material disposed across the sheet at about a center, disposed along a length of the sheet; the strip of material being more rigid than the sheet; a first fastener disposed near a first corner of the sheet; and a second fastener disposed at a second corner of the sheet for engaging the first fastener; the first fastener and second fastener being disposed on opposed sides of the strip of material.
 2. The bedding cover of claim 1, further comprising a padded edge 112 is disposed along a widthwise edge of the sheet.
 3. The bedding cover of claim 2, wherein the padded edge is more rigid than the sheet and less rigid than the strip of material.
 4. The bedding cover of claim 1, wherein the strip of material is a padded strip.
 5. The bedding of claim further comprising a reinforcing stitching disposed at least partially within the sheet and extending along at least a portion of an edge of the sheet.
 6. The bedding cover of claim 1, further comprising a fastener disposed substantially along an edge of the sheet; the fastener including a first half disposed on the edge of the sheet, and a second half disposed along the edge of the sheet and spaced from the first half such that when the sheet is folded upon itself about the centerline, the first half is in position to engage the second position.
 7. The bedding cover of claim 6, wherein the fastener comprises one of a zipper, a loop and hook fastener, snaps and buttons. 